This is really neat! I think Alex will like it :)

Alex's Santa video

Check this out. Pretty cool!

Gosh she's cute!

Alexandria was in her first school concert on Tuesday. She's the one in the centre - pink shirt with the stripy arms. Oh, and did I mention she's so cute!?!

Here's hoping Karma wasn't looking....

Today was the day. Today was the last day for Max in our house. It was also, unfortunately his last day in this world....

I took him to the Humane Society thinking that if I actually, physically took him there, there might be a better chance of their taking him. Nope. They said since he's an 8-year-old cat, the chance of his being adopted is slim to none. Especially when they have kittens and younger cats there. If he was 2 or 3 maybe, but not really at 8. They said the best they could do was take him until Tuesday, when the vet would come in to euthanise him. I couldn't stand the thought of poor Max being cooped up in a cage for a few days jsut to wait to be put down. They said they were 6 to 8 cats in each cage. That would be like torture for the poor kitty.

I took Max to our vet instead. Since we had had Max in there already about the behavioural peeing issue, they knew why we were there. I explained we have tried getting him placed somewhere. The tears started flowing as I was saying we just couldn't keep him anymore and this seemed like the only option. I said my goodbyes to Max. (He wouldn't look me in the eyes... He knew....) I signed for the "procedure". The vet asked if I wanted to be there. Ya. Right. No thanks. That was hard enough.

Jean-Paul knew I was taking Max to the Humane Society, but I made the final decision on my own. I went back home at lunch to tell him in person and he took it a lot better than I thought he would. I had no idea how he was going to react.

So, that's it for Max. He will be missed. We'll have reminders of him in the house until next month, when we get our new carpet.....

The hills are alive with the sound of ... Santa?!

Jean-Paul and I went to the Sound of Music tonight. (I forgot how much I like Do Re Mi....) :)

During intermission I looked down, and there was Santa! I guess he needed to get out and unwind a bit before the hussle and bussle of the holidays were upon us. Our friend Stephen is the house manager at the theatre. We were talking to him after and he said, "I got the weirdest request at intermission, and I've had lots of weird requests. I got a call from the stage manager and she said, 'The kids saw Santa sitting in the audience and were wondering if you could go ask him to come back stage after the show'." So he got to usher Santa back to see the cast :) The kids just loved it! The actors are as young as five, so you can just imagine how excited they must have been to see SANTA come to see them on stage! I'm impressed they stayed in character on stage. At the end, at curtain call, they were waving at Santa from the stage. So cute!!

Bye, bye Kittius Maximus

It's official. Max will be taken to the Humane Society soon. We've decided it will be me to take him there. Jean-Paul's breaking point was when Max peed on his dj equipment. Not good. Sorry Max, but you've gotta go. He's been a part of our household for over 6 years, but we just can't take it anymore.

Alex's first DIY haircut

It had to happen eventually. Alex cut her own hair. She was doing some crafts and used her craft scissors on herself. She's been asking to get her haircut again - and now I guess she gets to!

Showing Mommy where she cut her hair.

The sheared lock.

Oh, "and why did she cut her hair?", you might ask. She cut it off to give to Daddy so he could glue it on his head and have some hair. Is that not sweet? :)

TONS of new pictures on the blog!!! (9 new entries)

Check 'em out, if you wish!

"Wii" this is fun!!!

We got our hands on a Wii and we're having a blast. We picked up a Wii Fit, too. I'm apparently 35 and Jean-Paul is 40 (according to the Wii). Oh, and Alex is 25. Jean-Paul is overweight - almost obese. I'm normal! Ha.

I got a little too into the tennis and knocked the console right off the table... Oops! At least it landed on a box of clothes!

Concentrating on fishing!Getting very excited about catching fish :)Driving with Daddy
Racing aroundLearning how to drive with Mario Kart

Naptime

Hallowe'en fashion show

I got some costumes 75% off and Zachary had a blast!

He loved flying around the house as a butterfly. (Alex picked this out for Zach.)

So cute in pink and purple :) Do you think he'll kill us when he's 14?!

Mr Cutest-Bunny-Ever!!

Even came with a carrot :)

Now he's prancing around as a lady bug :)

Hallowe'en Fun

All ready to go get some candy! (And apparently chestnuts. Yes someone gave chestnuts...)Our two flying kids. The bat and the pteradon.

Eagerly awaiting more kids to give candy to. Someone from Alex's class came to our door. A very exciting moment for both of them! :)

They've gotta earn their keep somehow

Zoodle and his crayons

Gotta stick the tongue out when getting really creative

Teething break

Cute shot of the teeth

There's that tongue again

All ready for her very first SCHOOL PICTURE DAY!

I couldn't avert her eyes from the tv.

In retrospect, I should have kept her hair down more. Oh well.

Backyard Art Fun!

Our artists at work

Look at that hair flying! She was right into it! :)

Alex's painted hands

Zach wasn't too sure about the paint on him....

Action shot

Um, I just got some more paint on my hand

Mommy... clean, please

Our little Van Gogh, or is that Monet?

How does paint taste, anyway?

"Shunting trucks!"

Zachary is now requesting the "Thomas and His Friends" song. He'll ask in various ways. "Train song" or simply "trains!". This morning he looked at me, said "shunting trucks" with his little smile. When I started singing the song, he just beamed. He was so happy I understood what he meant :)

Would YOU be able to get to sleep again?

It was about 3:30 am when I woke to Jean-Paul leaning over me and cackling maniacally, "Mwaaaa haaa haaa." Then he went on to say, "Gotcha! Gotcha times 3!!" He then went back down and into a quiet sleep once again. I tossed and turned for a bit and couldn't fall asleep. I finally went down into the quiet basement on the futon to sleep the rest of the night!

He does love his trains....

After an hour of hysterical crying (and some orajel, reciting Goodnight Moon, and singing Twinkle, Twinkle - all to no avail), I tried singing the "Thomas and Friends" song (in a nice, slow, soothing way). That's what finally did it! He stopped crying. Laid his head down and finally calmed down. He went in his crib and kept quiet and finally gave in to sleep. I must have sung that song 20 or 30 times! (Just the first two verses - 'cuz that's all I know - but still!)

"They're two they're four they're six they're eight
Shunting trucks and hauling freight
red and green and brown and blue
they're the really useful crew
All with different roles to play
'Round Tidmouth sheds or far away,
Down the hills and round the bends
Thomas and his friends"

Thanks!

Since it is Thanksgiving weekend, I thought I'd reflect a bit.

I am thankful for a messy house.
I am thankful for a loving husband.
I am thankful my children have such a wonderful father.
I am thankful for babies that cry in the night. I know that time will end way too soon.
I am thankful for little girls that ask "why" and "what are you doing today" and "what are you doing tomorrow" and "what are you doing later". I know that time will end way too soon as well.
I am thankful for poopy diapers. Ok. Maybe not. But I love the baby stage that comes along with them.
I am thankful for Christian Bale, Colm Feore and Johnny Depp. Oh, and George Clooney.
I am thankful my children are happy and healthy. I can't imagine what some parents go through and I pray I never have to.
I am thankful for cuddle time.
I am thankful I have kids that fight over me. It's nice to be loved that much. (Although I'm not sure I'd rate higher than trains....)
I am thankful for all the amazing friends we have in our lives. We don't see them nearly enough. We need to do that more. Messy houses or not.
I am thankful that my kids have both sets of grandparents and that they are nearby and well enough to enjoy their grandkids.
I am thankful for all the help that our parents give to us, without any thought of getting something in return. Eternal gratefulness is our gift to you. Words cannot express how much you are appreciated.
I am thankful my kids have two great-grandmas still with us. We are truly blessed.
I am thankful for the heating bill, the gas bill, the water bill, the property taxes..... It means we have a home.
I am thankful we live in a country that allows us the freedom to choose our leaders - even though our choices may not be the grandest.
I am thankful we don't have to choose between food or heat, shoes or winter coats. My heart breaks for the parents who have to tell their hungry children there just isn't any more.
I am thankful for the wonderful family we have and am all too aware that you never know when that visit will be last.

And, I'm thankful for family and friends that care enough to read these blog entries :)

And one more of Zach

A couple more by Carla-Ann

A little blast from the past

Dinos Alive!

Fun at the Children's Museum and their exhibit - Dinosaurs Alive!

Quick, funny video I found on YouTube

0 to Bitch in 1.2 seconds

I would have embedded it here, but the link was gone. Sorry.

Max is on his last life

I think we're all on the same page about the cat. I'm pretty sure he's going to be going somewhere else. Not exactly sure where yet. Even Jean-Paul is (sorta) on board. Max peed again in the playroom and I said to Alex, "I think it's time Max went to live somewhere else. Do you think that would be a good idea?". To which she replied, "Ya." Then paused and continued on, "Maybe someone had a cat who died and Max could go live with them."

Had a BLAST!

Make fun if you wish, but I had an AWESOME time at the New Kids on the Block concert! Wish I'd taken my camera though.....

Another mini milestone

Alexandria has gone from "one, two, free" to "one, two, three". Little steps. She was very proud of herself. She was reading a book and counting and I said, "Wow, you said the number three very well!" She smiled and continued on, and looked for that praise (trying to be nonchalant) whenever she said "three" again.

Some "First Day" pics

So excited for her first day!

A very happy little girl (with a very big backpack!)
She had to wear a dinosaur shirt
"so all my new kid friends will know I like dinosaurs".
Too cute!

We could barely keep up with her!!

Being greeted by her teacher. The blue sheet in her hand? She gave it to Alex to give to me. Calming tea to help relieve the first day anxiety of the parents! (That got me close to the breaking point!!)

Being shown where to line up in the mornings.
(Quick cute story. After we met her teacher last week I asked Alex if her teacher seemed nice. Alex replied, "I don't know." She hadn't known her long enough to pass judgment, I guess. I asked her again at the end of the first day and she was able to form an opinion.
The verdict is - she has a nice teacher.)

She was paired up with an SK buddy to guide her through the first day.
(Gosh that backpack's huge!!!)

Still winning the smallest JKer award! The little boy's a close second, I think!

Holding hands with her "buddy"

The end of the day. So tired!!

How did we go from that little ball of baby I was holding in the hospital
to this schoolgirl?!

Zachary showing us how nice the weather was that day.
A bit cool in the morning, but sunny and warm the rest of the day.

My tuckered out little baby girl!